Religion, Renewal and Choice

Question 1

Davie- obligation to consumption

Answer 1

We used to be obliged to go to church and do and believe certain things, but now religion is our personal choice. We now believe without belonging, we believe privately but don’t join an organisation.

Question 2

Davie- Vicarious religion

Answer 2

Religion is practised by the active minority (clergy) on behalf of the great majority, thus they experience religion at second hand.

Church is used as a spiritual health service, its used when they need it. Funerals or baptism.

Question 3

Bruce- disagrees with Davie

Answer 3

if we don’t wish to go to church then our belief has declined, if we truly believed we would go to church.

Question 4

Hervieu- Leger - spiritual shopping

Answer 4

Religion is now individualised, we develop our own do it yourself beliefs that give meaning to our lives and fit in with our interests and aspirations. We choose the elements of religion we want

Question 5

Helland- internet effect on religion

Answer 5

Religion online- top down communication, religious organisations use the Internet to address members and potential converts. No feedback or dialogue between the two.
Online religion- cyber religion, no existence outside of the internet, many to many form of communication non-heirarcharal relationships can be built.

Question 6

Lyon

Answer 6

we are now religious consumers, we make conscious choices about which elements of religion we find useful.

Question 7

Heelas and Woodhead - spiritual revolution

Answer 7

holistic milieu’s are growing- new age religions while congregational domain like christianity is declining.

Question 8

Glendinning and Bruce

Answer 8

main people dabbled in meditation and horoscopes but they never seriously committed to them.

Question 9

Stark and Bainbridge

Answer 9

cycle of rental- some religions grow then some decline its simply a cycle.
Its a competition, if church offer a better product they will grow.

Question 10

Hadden and Shupe

Answer 10

the rise of televangelism in America shows that the level of religious participation is supply-led.

Question 11

Norris and Inglehart

Answer 11

poor societies- were people still face lots of issues continue to believe in religion
rich societies- high standard of living, sense of secutiry so don’t need religion.

Question 12

Gill and Lundegaarde

Answer 12

the more a country spends on their welfare the lower the level of religious participation.